[Stratguy79]

A couple weeks ago I noticed the power steering fluid was very low, the reservoir only had a small amount. Topped it off with Prestone Power Steering Fluid 12 Ounce (Part #: AS269Y) - today I had my vehicle at the dealership to have the air bled out and they came back to me and said they would have to flush the system because I topped it off with the wrong fluid. Long story short and about $400 later I'm feeling like I was ripped off.

The Prestone fluid that I picked up stated it was safe for use in ALL Nissan vehicles.

"Power Steering Fluid; Premium full. synthetic technology with the newest additive chemistry, designed for extreme temperatures and extended fluid life. Provides protection against wear, corrosion, fluid breakdown and foaming to maintain optimal performance. Engineered for Honda, Acura, Toyota, Lexus, Subaru, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Nissan, and Scion."

Can anyone with knowledge on this reply? If it was harmless to my vehicle, I am looking for some firepower to return to the dealership with.

 

[2young2retire]

Hate to tell you this but I looked up the fluid you used and it is not fluid for electric power steering systems. Yes there is a difference. The system should be flushed and the proper fluid put in. In the future if you don't want to use the Nissan fluid (about $19.00/qt. on Amazon) then use aftermarket fluids marked for electro-hydraulic systems. Note the designation on the PS reservoir cap.

 

[bernardmind]

When top off the fluids - i would use Nissan fluids only.
$7 Prestone's vs $18 Nissan's PS fluid, end up costing you $400.

If you were flushing the ps system, you could go with Prestone's.

I personally would not mix. It doesn't mean that the fluid you have added will cause any issues.

But dealers are full of crap. They are using oils and fluids from the barrels, which are different than they sell in retail bottles.

My advice: contact prestone and ask them if you can mix existing nissan ps fluid with prestone's fluid. Will it void the warranty. If everything checks out well , call nissan usa and file a complaint. I would not bother to deal with your local stealership and let the corporate handle it. Tell them you would go public (local news, youtube, etc) regarding their service practices.

 

[Pilgrim]

Never completely trust the label on the aftermarket fluids. Specs change from vehicle to vehicle and year to year. The final authority is the fluids listed in the owner's manual, and they will generally be Nissan-branded. However, the manual normally also lists the characteristics or fluid specs. Other brands of oil or other fluids can be used if they meet those specs.

Sometimes the specs are rather arcane, but it does pay to take the time and figure it out. I have been known to camp outside a parts store with my smart phone doing research on fluid types when i'm forced to pick up something on the fly.

 

[Michael Martin]

In future it may save you some problems if you first call Nissan to ask what alternative fluids can be used. As evidenced above, using the wrong fluids can be costly. Personally, If I noticed a fluid getting low I would take it to the dealer and let them top it off. Also, you never know if low fluid might be a symptom of a larger issue.

 

[Michael Martin]

When top off the fluids - i would use Nissan fluids only.
$7 Prestone's vs $18 Nissan's PS fluid, end up costing you $400.

If you were flushing the ps system, you could go with Prestone's.

I personally would not mix. It doesn't mean that the fluid you have added will cause any issues.

But dealers are full of crap. They are using oils and fluids from the barrels, which are different than they sell in retail bottles.

My advice: contact prestone and ask them if you can mix existing nissan ps fluid with prestone's fluid. Will it void the warranty. If everything checks out well , call nissan usa and file a complaint. I would not bother to deal with your local stealership and let the corporate handle it. Tell them you would go public (local news, youtube, etc) regarding their service practices.

Not all dealer fluids are from the barrel. Oil, most definitely, transmission, possibly, steering and brake is most likely bottled. Most of the dealers I worked at only had oil from the barrel.

Prestone will say one of two things; either the wrong fluid was selected as pointed out above, or sure it's comparable, because that's what's on their bottle. Doesn't mean it is meant for all vehicles in a manufactures lineup.

 

[Holger Cordero]

Hate to tell you this but I looked up the fluid you used and it is not fluid for electric power steering systems. Yes there is a difference. The system should be flushed and the proper fluid put in. In the future if you don't want to use the Nissan fluid (about $19.00/qt. on Amazon) then use aftermarket fluids marked for electro-hydraulic systems. Note the designation on the PS reservoir cap.
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completely agree here. you used the incorrect one. same thing happened to my father in law even after I adviced him to be careful he went and got the wrong one and for him 500$ later he walked out after having it flushed and replaced.

 

[HDTVsportsfan]

When top off the fluids - i would use Nissan fluids only.
$7 Prestone's vs $18 Nissan's PS fluid, end up costing you $400.

If you were flushing the ps system, you could go with Prestone's.

I personally would not mix. It doesn't mean that the fluid you have added will cause any issues.

But dealers are full of crap. They are using oils and fluids from the barrels, which are different than they sell in retail bottles.

My advice: contact prestone and ask them if you can mix existing nissan ps fluid with prestone's fluid. Will it void the warranty. If everything checks out well , call nissan usa and file a complaint. I would not bother to deal with your local stealership and let the corporate handle it. Tell them you would go public (local news, youtube, etc) regarding their service practices.

Above what is bolded.
Not to be a richard head but I'm curious what this is based of off. Are you indicating that a quart of Nissan oil you buy off of Amazon or Nissan dealer itself is or could be different than what comes in the bulk barrels?

Honestly, I would think the manufacturers would have strict specifications in place to ensure consistency. Kind like chain restaurants wanting there food to be the same no matter which location you went to.

 

[bernardmind]

Above what is bolded.
Not to be a richard head but I'm curious what this is based of off. Are you indicating that a quart of Nissan oil you buy off of Amazon or Nissan dealer itself is or could be different than what comes in the bulk barrels?

Honestly, I would think the manufacturers would have strict specifications in place to ensure consistency. Kind like chain restaurants wanting there food to be the same no matter which location you went to.

It's based of my personal experience. I had Mazda CX9 and brought to a dealer for a transmission fluid change. In the service lobby/waiting area they have had a stand with all the oem oils and fluids in the bottles.

Long story short. Dealer replaces the tranny fluid. I expected the tranny to shift more smoothly after the service and in reality it was shifting worse than before. I checked the receipt from the dealer and under the parts/fluids it was some generic part #.
I came to a dealer and asked what kind of crap they put in my car. Dealer tells me that it's a generic fluid, it comes in barrels,and they use on all mazdas.
Whether it's a 7 year old, 10 years old or brand new vehicle. I asked the dealer to provide the specs of the fluid they have used and they refused to provide the info. WTF, really ? So I called mazda usa and explained everything , and told them the reason I came to dealer is because I expected a certain level of service and oem fluids to be used. Otherwise I could of go to uncle Lou's garage and get it done for a half price of what the dealer charged me. Next day the regional manager called me and told me they will replace with an oem fluid free of charge. You should of seen the face of that service adviser when I returned. I also have watched them pouring the fluid from the bottles. After oem fluid was put it the car drove smoother than before.

Nissan suppose to use 0w20 which is fully syntetic only, but in the most cases they use 5w30 dino oil.
My question when the customer requests to do 0w20, are they actually doing it ? Unfortunately, dealers don't give a **** about customers anymore, all they care is $$$.

The saddest thing is when you are paying for the service - you are expecting some sort of improvement. In reality, by not doing their job, they are making things worse.

More DIY service you perform on the car, the better it runs.

 

[MuranoSL2003]

I just had my first oil change done on my '19. This first oil change was free from the dealer I purchase my Murano from. I noticed on the service web page it listed both synthetic and conventional oil change options. So I asked if they were going to use synthetic, because Nissan specifies 0w20 and that it only comes in synthetic, and they said yes.

My service page lists: 999BK-0W20MSN GEN NIS 0W20 BULK, 6 quarts @ $2.18. It also mentions they used premium oil.

I Googled 999BK-0W20MSN:

999BK-0W20MSN - Genuine Nissan Parts

NissanPartsDeal.com offers the best deal for genuine Nissan parts, 999BK0W20MSN. MOBIL SUPER SYNTHETIC 0W-20 BULK for $10.52. All parts are backed by the Nissan's warranty.

www.nissanpartsdeal.com

 

[bernardmind]

Engines are more tolerant to take all types of engine oils, and the engine oil will get replaced 5k miles after.
The reason they have to use synthetic oils is to meet their sticker mpg. It's only possible with super thin oils like 0w20.
Will they ruin the engine with 5w30 ? Most likely not, but if every other time they use 0w20 and 5w30, it will eventually make the things worse. Synthetic and dino oils should not be mixed.

When we are talking about tranny fluid, ps fluid, brake fluid - the service is being done every 60k miles or so. Sometimes never. Would you accept the generic fluid from the barrel ? And the dealer charges you per quarter bottle price anyway.

Some dealers are good, some are really bad. We as the customers should be always alerted and check their work ( at very least look at the receipt and ask questions).

 

[MuranoSL2003]

In the 2015 owner's manual Nissan specifies 0w20, and that conventional 5w30 can also be used as an alternative:

In the 2019 owner's manual Nissan only specifies 0w20 with an SN rating:

 

[Pilgrim]

Once again, read the manual FTW!

 

[Mikonos]

Why was the fluid so low? Wouldnt this be one of those closed systems where you only flush? This low fluid situation happened to my 2025 murano and they had to change a bunch of things because it was slowly leaking somewhere in the steering column area. 2000$ but covered under warranty.

 

[Stratguy79]

A couple weeks ago I noticed the power steering fluid was very low, the reservoir only had a small amount. Topped it off with Prestone Power Steering Fluid 12 Ounce (Part #: AS269Y) - today I had my vehicle at the dealership to have the air bled out and they came back to me and said they would have to flush the system because I topped it off with the wrong fluid. Long story short and about $400 later I'm feeling like I was ripped off.

The Prestone fluid that I picked up stated it was safe for use in ALL Nissan vehicles.

"Power Steering Fluid; Premium full. synthetic technology with the newest additive chemistry, designed for extreme temperatures and extended fluid life. Provides protection against wear, corrosion, fluid breakdown and foaming to maintain optimal performance. Engineered for Honda, Acura, Toyota, Lexus, Subaru, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Nissan, and Scion."

Can anyone with knowledge on this reply? If it was harmless to my vehicle, I am looking for some firepower to return to the dealership with.

Wow, lots of discussion on this feed! Thanks!

So I ended up following up with the store I bought this power steering fluid from, they confirmed this was acceptable fluid for my vehicle. Went so far as to pull up the manufacturer (Prestone) data sheet on the fluid. It was clearly labeled safe for use in ePSF systems, specifically mentioning Nissan.

Also emailed Prestone Customer Relations and received a direct, descriptive response that this was OK for my vehicle and could be mixed with OEM fluid.

I contacted the dealer that did the work requesting a refund, got the response I expected. Instant defensiveness and additude.

Filed a complaint with Nissan North America Customer Relations. They asked if I would be willing to get another dealership’s opinion, so now I get to find another dealership to chat with about this. Hopefully I can find someone with half a brain and some common sense.

Will keep you all up to date on what comes out of this.

 

[bernardmind]

Stratguy79, you have a great case against the dealership. I would put more pressure on nissan north america. Ask to speak with a supervisor or manager.

 

[bernardmind]

if it's not resolved, email the executive managment. I can almost guarantee the things will get resolved in your favor fast. Just nicely explain what happened and all are you asking is a refund.

 

[2young2retire]

Hate to tell you this but I looked up the fluid you used and it is not fluid for electric power steering systems. Yes there is a difference. The system should be flushed and the proper fluid put in. In the future if you don't want to use the Nissan fluid (about $19.00/qt. on Amazon) then use aftermarket fluids marked for electro-hydraulic systems. Note the designation on the PS reservoir cap.
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I stand corrected, it is compatible. Sorry about that, I did not dig deep enough.

 

[Pilgrim]

I should point out that it's not the dealership's job to know all the NON-Nissan fluids that are compatible with your vehicle. I'm sure they use only Nissan fluids, and if you want to go off the reservation and use something else, it's at your own risk.

That sad, if you provide well authenticated evidence that the fluid you used is correct, then they should have no problem with it, and if they made a mistake by charging you for changing it, YES, they should admit that error.

I just want to note that a car dealer is not oriented or equipped to evaluate parts and fluids that they don't supply. It's not what they are there for.

 

[bernardmind]

I don't totally agree with Pilgrim. Dealers run a service shop with certified mechanics. The customer stated he used a specific PS fluid, not the water or mule piss. Each fluid has specification, if it meets or exceeds the specs the customer should not have any issues. Just like any dealer they wanted to pull a quick one and make the money on fairly simple procedure.
I assume the charged 2qt of fluid $18 x 2 = $36
3 hours of labor at $120 = $360

The procedure takes less than an hour. Because the service manual says 3 hours, they charged 3 hours.

Easy money.

Now the customer who is not working on the cars every day has to prove them wrong. It's kinda of backwards, because the dealer's service shop should have experts and professionals.

To summarize: there are certified mechanics working at the service shop just like any other shop. And they specialize in nissan vehicles.
Dealer sells non-Nissan preowned vehicle and service them as well.
It wasn't an honest mistake - it was an act of greed.